Adult Basic Education
English Language Arts
English 1101C
Study Guide
Prerequisites:
None
Credit Value:
1
Degree and Technical Profile and Business-Related College Profile Required English
Courses
English 1101A
English 1101B
English 1101C
English 2101A
English 2101B
English 2101C
English 3101A
English 3101B
English 3101C
Table of Contents
To the Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Unit 1
Non-Fiction, Media and Related Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Unit 2
Research and Study Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Unit 3
Oral Communications and Related Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Anthologies:
Sightlines 10
Sightlines 10 CD Set
Between the Lines 11 (secondary text)
Reference Books:
Resource Lines 9/10
Reading and Writing for Success
Communicate!
English 1101C
Study Guide
Page 3
To the Student
The following questions and answers should help you use this Study Guide.
Who should do English 1101C?
English 1101C is intended for those who are studying in the Degree and Technical Profile or
the Business-Related College Profile of Adult Basic Education.
What is in the English 1101C Study Guide?
The English 1101C Study Guide describes all the work that is required for the completion of this
course. There are 3 separate Units in this course - they are listed in the Table of Contents above
(page 2).
How Should I Use the Study Guide?
Before beginning to do the work in this Study Guide, you will need to talk to your instructor
about the course and the resources you will need to complete the work for the course.
The Study Guide provides important information and guidance which you will need to complete
English 1101C. You should work through the Study Guide page by page, consulting with
your instructor as you go.
How is the Study Guide organized?
The Study Guide is organized in two columns, as follows:
Required W ork
Guidelines and Suggestions
This column provides a numbered list of all
the work you are required to do for the
course.
This column gives you important information
and guidelines to help you complete the
Required Work in the left-hand column.
You should always read this column before
beginning to complete the Required Work.
You should note that there are 3 separate
Units in the course and the Required Work
for each Unit starts with the number 1.
Important Note
This Study Guide is intended to make it possible for you to work independently in the Adult
Basic Education class. If you use the Guide correctly, you may be able to work on your own for
certain periods of time. You should always make sure that your instructor is aware of what you
doing, however, and you should feel free to ask your instructor for help and guidance at all times.
English 1101C
Study Guide
Page 5
Unit 1 Non-Fiction, Media and Related Writing
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Learning About Narrative Non-Fiction
1. In preparation for reading and writing about
narrative non-fiction, you should review pages
103-106 of Resource Lines 9/10, “Narration”.
1.1 Explain the difference between news
stories and personal narratives in terms of the
following:
•subject
•point of view
•narrative flow
•objectivity
English 1101C
You will have already studied this material on
“Narration” for English 1101B in the context
of reading and writing a personal essay. You
should review it briefly before beginning the
work for this Unit.
You will find explanations of both news
stories and personal narratives, as well as
examples of each type of writing, in the review
material from Resource Lines 9/10. You may
need to refer back to the reading material as
you complete Required Work 1.1.
Study Guide
Page 7
Unit 1 Non-Fiction, Media and Related Writing
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Glossary of Literary Terms
2. Define the following non-fiction terms and
add to your personal glossary of literary terms:
2.1 biography
2.2 autobiography
2.3 memoir
2.4 tone
Non-fiction is text that has factual information
about something or tells about things as they
actually happened. News articles are supposed
to tell of events exactly as they occur. Nonfiction forms such as personal essays and
certain expository essays or magazine articles
often recount actual events or tell about real
people in the form of a story or narrative. The
events are usually written about in the order
that they happened. However, the dialogue
may be what the writer imagines could have
been said at the time of the event.
When you put these terms into your personal
glossary of literary terms, you will need to start
a new section called “Non-Fiction”.
Remember, you are not required to memorize
the definitions of terms in your personal
glossary, but rather to understand and apply
them as you read and analyze texts.
Page 8
Study Guide
English 1101C
Unit 1 Non-Fiction, Media and Related Writing
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Listen
3. Listen to the recorded personal narrative
(memoir), “Mrs. Bertha Flowers” by Maya
Angelou on the Sightlines 10 CD Set (Disk 2,
Track 6).
You should listen to “Mrs. Bertha Flowers”
and read it at least twice to make sure that you
completely understand it. You may wish to
discuss it with your instructor or with others
who are reading it at the same time.
Read and Write
4. Read “Mrs. Bertha Flowers” (Sightlines 10,
pages 212-216).
4.1 In the personal narrative, “Mrs. Bertha
Flowers”, Mrs. Flowers says, “Words mean
more than what is set down on paper. It takes
the human voice to infuse them with the
shades of deeper meaning”.
–What do you think Mrs. Flowers meant by
this?
–Did you find that listening to this personal
narrative added anything to your appreciation
of it? Explain.
The questions in Required Work 4.1 are
asking you to think about what an oral reading
(such as the recording you have listened to)
can add to the written word. This is especially
important when a narrative is written from the
point of view of a person who has a distinct
accent, as the Mrs. Flowers character does.
You may want to discuss the questions with
your instructor before beginning to write your
answers.
You should read the short biographical entry
on the author of this narrative, Maya Angelou
(Sightlines 10, page 392). “Mrs. Bertha
Flowers” is an excerpt from Maya Angelou’s
autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird
Sings”.
Note: You will be returning to the narrative,
“Mrs. Bertha Flowers”, for Required Work
9.1 and 9.3.
English 1101C
Study Guide
Page 9
Unit 1 Non-Fiction, Media and Related Writing
Required W ork
Guidelines and Suggestions
5. Select and read at least two other non-fiction
narratives from Sightlines 10.
You should choose non-fiction narratives that
you think you will enjoy. You may want to
skim several narratives before making your
final decision. Your instructor may also help
by suggesting some narratives for you.
You should note that the Sightlines 10
anthology has two Tables of Contents. The
second of those, “Contents by Genre” lists all
the non-fiction. You will find this list on
pages xi - xii. The type of non-fiction is
indicated in brackets after each title. You may
need to skim some of the selections to
determine whether or not they are narratives.
Sightlines 10 also has a section at the back
where you can find information on the authors
of all the selections - “Biographies of
Contributors”, pages 392- 400. All the authors
are listed in alphabetical order on these pages.
You should read the biographical entry for the
author of each non-fiction narrative you select.
5.1 Answer questions, assigned by your
instructor, on each narrative you select.
You should read each text you select at least
twice to help you better understand all the
different elements of narrative non-fiction.
Ask your instructor to arrange for you to
discuss each narrative before you answer the
questions.
You should make sure that you have answered
each question that was asked of you and that
there are no mistakes in grammar, punctuation
or spelling. Your answers should be written in
complete sentences in your own words. You
should make reference to the text, where
necessary, to support your point.
Page 10
Study Guide
English 1101C
Unit 1 Non-Fiction, Media and Related Writing
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Learning Abut Writing Non-Fiction
Narratives
6. In preparation for writing your own nonfiction narrative, you should review page107
of Resource Lines 9/10, “How to Write
Narration”.
Writing an Autobiographical Essay
7. Write a short autobiographical essay (at
least 5 paragraphs), focusing on one event or
person that you feel has had a significant
influence on the development of your
personality.
You will have already studied page 107 of
Resource Lines 9/10 for English 1101B. You
should review it carefully, since it provides
detailed guidelines for writing narration. You
should follow these guidelines closely as you
write your short autobiographical essay for
Required Work 7.
The narrative you have just read, “Mrs. Bertha
Flowers” is taken from an autobiography. It is
a true account of a person who the author feels
has had a very important impact on her life.
All of us are affected during our childhood or
teenage years by events or people. In some
cases, these events or people can change the
way we act and the things we believe. You
should think about your own life and whether
there has been one particular event or person
who has influenced you in your formative
years. Your essay on this event or person can
be written in your own personal style since it is
autobiographical. You should remember that
your instructor will be reading your essay for
evaluation purposes, so you should not write
anything that you consider too personal to
share.
Your essay should have an introductory
paragraph that gets the reader’s attention,
several supporting paragraphs, and a
concluding paragraph that ties together what
you have said.
You should write at least three drafts of your
essay, discussing each draft with your
instructor and revising for clarity and accuracy.
English 1101C
Study Guide
Page 11
Unit 1 Non-Fiction, Media and Related Writing
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Learning About Descriptive Writing
8. In preparation for reading and responding to
descriptive writing, you should review pages
99-102 of Resource Lines 9/10, “Description”.
Reading and Analyzing Description
9. Distinguish between informative and
imaginative description through completing
the following exercises:
9.1 Referring back to “Mrs. Bertha Flowers”,
identify specific words and phrases that create
images that appeal to the senses.
You will have already read the material on
“Description” in Resource Lines 9/10 for
English 1101B. You should review it carefully
before you begin to do the reading and analysis
of descriptive writing for Required Work 9.1
- 9.3.
This exercise asks you to think about the
different ways in which descriptive writing
may be used. You are asked to compare a
piece of imaginative description, “Mrs. Bertha
Flowers”, with a piece of informative
description, “The Five Bike Basic Bikes”.
You will have listened to and read the memoir,
“Mrs. Bertha Flowers” for Required Work 3
and 4. You will need to refer back to it to
answer questions 9.2 and 9.3.
9.2 Read pages 98-99 of Reading and
Writing for Success, “The Five Basic Bikes”.
9.3 Compare the imaginative description in
“Mrs. Bertha Flowers” with the informative
description in “The Five Basic Bikes” by
answering the following questions:
Your answers should be written in complete
sentences in your own words. You should
make reference to the story where necessary to
support your point.
–How is the author’s purpose different in each
text?
Be sure to revise your answers to ensure that
there are no errors in spelling, punctuation or
grammar.
–What is described in each text?
–How are the descriptive words or phrases
different?
Page 12
Study Guide
English 1101C
Unit 1 Non-Fiction, Media and Related Writing
Required W ork
Guidelines and Suggestions
Learning About News and Magazine
Articles
10. In preparation for reading and analyzing
news articles and magazine articles, you
should study pages 70-81 of Reading and
Writing for Success, “Reading News Articles”.
Pages 70-81 of Reading and Writing for
Success provide detailed information on:
• the features of a typical news story
• the kind of information a news article might
contain and how that information is organized
• what the term ‘slant’ (or bias) means and
how you can determine what ‘slant’ a news
article is taking
There is a sample news article (pages 72-74)
with extensive notes in the margins which
point out different aspects of the article. You
should read the article through (without the
marginal notes) at first and then re-read it
along with the notes. Pages 75-80 take you
through the article again, analyzing all the
different parts. You will need to read this very
carefully. What you learn from this article can
be used to analyze all news articles.
You should note that much of the information
about news articles would also apply to many
magazine articles.
You should make notes as you study this
material and ask your instructor for guidance
on any point that is not clear to you. Your
instructor may arrange for you to discuss the
material. If there are others studying this Unit
at the same time as you are, you may be
required to participate in a small group
discussion. If not, you may discuss the material
with your instructor.
English 1101C
Study Guide
Page 13
Unit 1 Non-Fiction, Media and Related Writing
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Select and Read Newspaper Articles
11. Select and read at least two news articles
from a current local, regional, provincial or
national newspaper.
See the following page (Required Work 12)
for exercises on analyzing the two news
articles you have selected.
If you are a regular newspaper reader, you may
select articles for Required Work 11 from the
newspaper that you usually read. If you do not
usually read a newspaper, your instructor will
be able to provide you with newspapers for
this exercise. You may use either printed or
Internet versions of newspapers.
You will need to understand the difference
between local, regional, provincial and
national newspapers. You should discuss the
different types with your instructor, who may
be able to provide you with examples of the
different types.
You should choose two articles about events
that are of interest to you. If you wish, you
may choose two articles about the same event,
but from different newspapers, so that you can
compare reporting styles and look for any slant
or bias in the writing. You may also choose
articles on different events.
Page 14
Study Guide
English 1101C
Unit 1 Non-Fiction, Media and Related Writing
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Write
12. Answer the following questions about
each news article you selected for Required
Work 11:
12.1
What is the headline?
12.2
What is the byline?
12.3
What is the dateline and/or placeline?
12.4
What is the lead?
12.5
Give two details from the body of the
article that give more information
about the lead?
12.6
Identify any quoted speech. Who is
quoted?
12.7
Is there a photograph? Does it have a
caption? What is its relationship to the
article?
12.8
Is the article continued on another
page?
12.9
Can you identify a slant in the article?
Explain. (For example, what has been
included or excluded in the telling of
the story?)
English 1101C
You may need to refer back to the assigned
study material on news articles as you answer
the questions in Required Work 12.1- 12.9.
All of the information needed to answer the
questions is included in this study material.
You should note that not all news articles will
include all of the elements listed in the study
material and in these questions. The important
thing is that you are able to recognize any
elements that are included.
In answering questions 12.1 to 12.8, you may
follow the approach used with the sample
article “Flood forces library to close” on page
70 of Reading and Writing for Success. Your
answers would be written on the news article
itself (or a photocopy), using arrows and
inserted comments.
For question 12.9, you will need to analyze
each article very carefully. You should re-read
pages 78-81 of Reading and Writing for
Success, “Seeing the Slant”, and discuss each
article with your instructor before beginning to
write your answer to this question. Your
answer should be written in short essay style
and you should use direct references to the
article to support your answer.
Study Guide
Page 15
Unit 1 Non-Fiction, Media and Related Writing
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Read and Write
13. Read the magazine article, “The Metric
System (sort of)” (Sightlines 10, pages 296297) and answer the following questions:
13.1 Referring to the title of the article, what
expectation does “(sort of)” create about the
tone of the article?
13.2 Review the main points of the article
and state the author’s thesis in your own
words.
13.3 Explain the humour in the last sentence
of the article.
As you read the magazine article, compare its
tone and purpose to the news articles you have
read for Required Work 12. Articles like this
can appear in both magazines and newspapers.
They are more subjective than news articles,
expressing the author’s point of view and
personality more directly.
Although “The Metric System (sort of)” article
is short, it is fairly complex. You may need to
read it several times to fully understand it.
There is humour used throughout the article,
but you must completely understand the article
before you can fully appreciate its humour.
You should discuss this article with your
instructor before beginning to write your
answers. In particular, you may need guidance
in identifying the author’s thesis (question
13.2). The word thesis is defined on page 60
of Resource Lines 9/10.
Note: You will be studying this and learning
more about the author’s thesis for Required
Work 14.
Page 16
Study Guide
English 1101C
Unit 1 Non-Fiction, Media and Related Writing
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Learning About Opinion Pieces
14. In preparation for reading opinion pieces
and writing your own opinions, you should
study pages 59-63 of Resource Lines 9/10,
“Opinion Piece”.
Re-Read and Write
15. Re-read the sample opinion piece, “No
Crying Allowed! so park your kid at the door”,
(pages 60-63) and answer the following
questions:
15.1 What is the author’s thesis?
15.2 What is the tone of the piece?
15.3 What arguments has the author
presented to support the thesis?
15.4 Which arguments are based on verifiable
facts and which are based on opinions?
Pages 59-63 of Resource Lines 9/10 provide
information on the terms and techniques you
will need to understand in order to read
opinion pieces with comprehension and to
write your own opinion pieces. They also
provide guidance on how to read and respond
critically to an opinion piece.
There is a sample opinion piece on pages 6063, which is the basis for Required Work
15.1 - 15.4. You should read the sample
article several times to be sure that you fully
understand it. You should also discuss it with
your instructor before beginning to answer the
questions.
Your answers should be written in complete
sentences in your own words. You should
make reference to the text, where necessary, to
support your point.
Proofread your answers to ensure that there are
no errors in spelling, punctuation or grammar.
English 1101C
Study Guide
Page 17
Unit 1 Non-Fiction, Media and Related Writing
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Seeing Two Sides of an Issue
16. Select a topical issue and list at least 5
points supporting two different points of view
on the issue.
For Required Work 16, you should select an
issue that you know something about. You
don’t need to have a strong opinion on the
issue, but you should be able to understand
two different opinions on the issue. For this
reason, it will need to be an issue that people
have different opinions about.
Some possible issues would include:
•School uniforms should/should not be
mandatory
•Schools should/should not be allowed to sell
junk food
•Sunday shopping should/should not be
allowed
You may wish to set up your exercise using a
for and against format, as follows:
Topic:
Page 18
Sunday Shopping
Arguments for
Sunday shopping
Arguments against
Sunday shopping
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
Study Guide
English 1101C
Unit 2
Research and Study Skills
Required W ork
Guidelines and Suggestions
Learning About Textbooks
1. In preparation for using textbooks, you
should study pages 70-74 of Resource Lines
9/10, “Textbook”.
The study material on textbooks in Resource
Lines 9/10 identifies and explains the
characteristics of a textbook and provides
guidelines on how to read a textbook. You
should study this material carefully and make
notes for future reference. You will need to
refer back to it as you complete the questions
for Required Work 2 and 3.
In your Adult Basic Education studies, as well
as in all post-secondary courses, textbooks are
the main study material you will use. It is very
important that you learn to make the best use
of all your textbooks. You should be able to
use a textbook in the most efficient way to do
the following:
•find out what topics are covered in a
particular textbook and identify all the
different places in the textbook where you
would find information on a particular topic
•decide which pages contain the most
information about a particular topic if it is
mentioned in several places in the textbook
•locate any information about a topic which is
contained outside the main body of the
textbook (for example, in an appendix or in a
glossary)
•learn about a topic using all the features
which a textbook provides to aid
comprehension (headings, lists, graphics, etc.)
English 1101C
Study Guide
Page 19
Unit 2
Research and Study Skills
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Identifying Parts of a Textbook
2. Select a textbook from another ABE area of
study, locate the copyright page and make a
note of the following:
•title of book
•name of author(s) or editor(s)
•date of publication/copyright date
•place of publication
•publisher
(More questions and exercises on your
selected textbook on the following page)
Page 20
You may choose any textbook for Required
Work 2, as long as it is from one of your other
ABE subjects (Science or Math, for example).
This will help ensure that you are able to apply
the knowledge you gain in this Unit to other
subject areas.
Required Work 2 asks you to look closely at
the copyright page of your selected textbook
and make note of the main information on that
page. Some of this information may be more
useful for one text than another. For example,
for some books it is very important to know
when they were published. If a Science book
is very old, for example, the information may
be out of date. With other books, such as
novels and some non-fiction books, the date of
publication may help you understand
something about the context and the author’s
perspective.
Study Guide
English 1101C
Unit 2
Research and Study Skills
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Identifying Parts of a Textbook (continued)
3. Using the same textbook you selected for
Required Work 2, complete the following
exercises:
3.1 Indicate the page numbers on which the
table of contents occurs.
3.2 Indicate the page numbers on which the
index occurs.
3.3 Locate a topic which has at least two page
references in the index. Select the page(s)
which treats the topic most thoroughly.
3.4 Indicate the page numbers on which the
glossary occurs, if the textbook has a glossary.
3.5 Explain the function of a glossary.
Exercises 3.1 to 3.7 require you to look closely
at the parts of a textbook which help you find
information from the book in the most efficient
way. You should skim the complete textbook
first to locate the table of contents and the
index and to determine whether there is a
glossary and/or appendices. All books are
organized differently, so it may take you some
time to figure out how your selected textbook
is organized. You should be sure that you
understand the general organization of the
book before focusing on the questions in 3.1 to
3.7.
If the textbook you have selected does not
contain a glossary or appendices, you will need
to discuss with your instructor how you
complete exercises 3.4 to 3.7. You may need
to look at another textbook for this.
3.6 Locate the appendices, if any. Indicate
the title and pages numbers of each appendix.
3.7 Explain why the material is included in an
appendix.
English 1101C
Study Guide
Page 21
Unit 2
Research and Study Skills
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Responding Critically to a Textbook
4. Using the same textbook as you used for
Required Work 2 and 3, answer the following
questions:
4.1 Describe the organization of the units
and/or chapters. Is each unit and/or chapter a
separate segment, or do they build on each
other?
4.2 Is the book designed to be read
sequentially (each chapter and/or unit in
order), or does each part stand on its own?
Required Work 4 asks you to use the same
textbook that you have used for Required
Work 2 and 3, but to look more closely at
what is actually in the book.
It would be a good idea to review your study
material from Resource Lines 9/10 (pages 7074) before completing 4.1 to 4.5. You may
also need to discuss these questions with your
instructor as you examine your textbook more
closely.
4.3 What text features are repeated in each
unit, section or chapter? (Refer back to page
71 of Resource Lines 9/10 for samples of text
features.)
4.3.1 How useful are these features for the
reader?
4.4 Is the language easy to understand?
4.5 Where do questions appear in the text?
Do questions appear under different headings?
Page 22
Study Guide
English 1101C
Unit 2
Research and Study Skills
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Research
5. To begin your preparation for researching
and writing a report, you should study pages
281-283 of Resource Lines 9/10, “The
Research Process”, and complete the following
exercises.
5.1 Identify the five stages of the research
process and write a brief explanation of each
stage in your own words.
5.2 Define and discuss the following terms:
•Card catalogue
•Subject Heading
•Cross Reference/Hyperlink
•Search Engine
•Key Word Search
•Periodical/Periodical Index
5.3 Distinguish between a primary source and
a secondary source.
Chapter 6 of Resources Lines 9/10 provides
important information and guidelines on
researching a topic, completing research,
creating a report on the research, and
presenting it - either to your instructor or to a
small group.
As you complete Required Work 5 to
Required Work 11, you will be working your
way through Chapter 6 - reading to understand
the material, making notes, and answering
questions on the information presented. You
will also be selecting a topic to research,
planning and conducting your research, and
creating a report for presentation.
To begin your preparation for researching and
writing a report, you should study pages 282283 of Resource Lines 9/10 very carefully to
gain important information about the research
process and research terms and techniques.
You should make notes on this material and
discuss it in detail with your instructor.
Your instructor may introduce you to some
examples of research tools and techniques
before you proceed with your study and
practice of research. It would be a good idea
to make a visit to a library and practice using
library resources at this stage. It would also be
a good idea to practice using Internet search
engines for information on one or more
subjects.
English 1101C
Study Guide
Page 23
Unit 2
Research and Study Skills
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Choosing a Topic and Planning Research
6. To begin the research process, you should
study pages 284-286 of Resource Lines 9/10,
“Planning”, and complete the following
exercises:
6.1 Select a research topic based on personal
interest.
6.2 Formulate questions to be answered
through the research.
6.3 Conduct preliminary research and reevaluate topic.
6.4 Create a research plan.
Page 24
The first important step in a research process is
to narrow down a topic. If you choose a topic
that is too broad, you will find that there is far
too much information for you to be able to
include in a report.
You should talk to your instructor about topics
which you may be interested in and discuss
how you can narrow down a topic so that the
research is manageable. You should choose a
topic that you are interested in and one which
you already know something about.
When you have decided on a topic for your
research, it is very important that you focus
your research efforts. The way to do this is to
decide exactly which questions related to your
topic you would like to answer through your
research. One way to do this is to set up a
KWL Chart (See page 19 of Resource Lines
9/10). Through doing this, you can establish
what you already know about a subject and
what you want to find out through your
research. As you complete your research, you
can establish what you have learned about the
topic. Typical KWL Charts only contain the 3
categories - What I Know, What I Want to
Know, What I Learned. However, page 284 of
Resource Lines 9/10 suggests that you set up a
KWL chart which includes two extra
categories (How I will find out and Resources I
can check). It is recommended that you set up
a 5-column KWL Chart, modeled on the chart
on page 284, as you complete Required Work
6.2 - 6.4.
Study Guide
English 1101C
Unit 2
Research and Study Skills
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Researching the Topic
7. In preparation for completing your research,
and evaluating and organizing the information
you collect, you should study the following
sections of Resource Lines 9/10:
“Information Retrieval” (pages 287-290)
“Information Processing” (pages 291-297)
“Organizing and Recording Information”
(pages 298-302)
8. Carry out research on your selected topic,
using the following guidelines and referring
back to relevant sections of Resource Lines
9/10, as indicated below:
–Utilize at least 2 main sources for the
gathering of information, to include:
books
library reference materials
periodicals
Internet sites
–Evaluate sources for relevance, currency,
accuracy, reliability and objectivity, referring
back to pages 295-297.
9. Compile and organize information, referring
back to pages 298-302 and “Note-Taking
Skills” on page 14.
English 1101C
When you have selected your topic and
focused your research through establishing
what you want to learn about your topic, you
are ready to begin looking for answers to your
questions. Pages 287 - 302 of Resource Lines
9/10 will provide you with important
information and guidance on how to find
information about your topic, how to evaluate
it, and how to organize and record it in
preparation for writing your research report.
You should study those pages carefully,
discussing with your instructor any points that
are not clear to you.
Your instructor will provide guidance to you at
all stages of your research process. You may
need assistance, in particular, for the
evaluation of sources. Understanding whether
a source is reliable, accurate, and objective
comes with experience of researching. Your
instructor can help you with this in your initial
research work, but you will need to develop
the critical skills to judge sources yourself as
you progress through your ABE program. You
should pay particular attention to the
information provided on pages 295-297,
“Evaluating Information” and make notes for
future reference.
If you have not had lots of experience in notetaking from several sources, your instructor
will provide you with practice and guidance, in
addition to that provided on pages 298-302 and
page 14. You should let your instructor know
if you need extra instruction on note taking.
Study Guide
Page 25
Unit 2
Research and Study Skills
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Presenting the Research
10. In preparation for writing a report based on
your research, you should study pages 303-305
of Resource Lines 9/10, “Creating Your
Product/Presentation”.
11. Write a brief report on the research, using
the guidelines for drafting and revising and
editing on pages 303-305.
11.1 Cite sources.
11.2 Use word processing software for the
presentation of the final draft.
The final stage in your research process
involves taking the information you have
compiled and organized (Required Work 9)
and using it to write your research report.
You will find important guidance on writing
your research report on pages 303-305 of
Resource Lines 9/10. You should study those
pages carefully and refer back to them at all
stages in the writing of your report.
You should develop at least three drafts of
your research report, discussing each draft with
your instructor and using the checklist for
“Revising and Editing” on the top of page 305
of Resource Lines 9/10 as you review each
draft.
Page 304 of Resource Lines 9/10 provides
guidelines and samples for citing the sources
you have used in your research. You should be
aware that if you use sources and do not give
credit to those sources, you may be guilty of
plagiarism. You should refer back to the
section on “Academic Honesty” on page 300
of Resource Lines 9/10 for guidance on
avoiding plagiarism.
The final draft of your research report should
be typewritten and double-spaced.
Note: In Unit 3 of this course (Oral
Communications and Related Writing), you
will be required to make a short speech on a
topic of your choice or you may give an oral
presentation of the research report you have
completed for this Unit.
Page 26
Study Guide
English 1101C
Unit 2
Research and Study Skills
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Test Taking Skills
12. Study the following sections of Resource
Lines 9/10:
“Time Management Skills” (page 13)
“Study Skills: Note-Taking Skills, Test-Taking
Skills” (pages 14-15)
12.1 Examine a variety of test question types
in different subject areas, provided by your
instructor.
12.2 Discuss different study and note-taking
strategies required for different types of tests
with your instructor or in a small group
organized by your instructor.
The study material on pages 13-15 of Resource
Lines 9/10 will introduce you to the basic
requirements of becoming a successful student
- managing your study and course time
effectively, studying efficiently, and
completing tests successfully. You should
read those pages carefully and discuss all the
points with your instructor.
Your instructor will provide you with the study
and practice materials for Required Work
12.1. This is an opportunity for you to
become familiar with all the types of tests and
test questions that you may encounter in Adult
Basic Education as well as in further postsecondary studies. You should ask your
instructor to provide you with examples and
practice until you feel that you are completely
familiar with the various types of tests.
Your instructor will discuss with you the study
and note-taking strategies required for different
types of tests. If there are others doing this
Unit at the same time as you are, you may be
required to participate in group discussions as
well.
English 1101C
Study Guide
Page 27
Unit 3 Oral Communications and Related Writing
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Learning About Public Speaking
1. Study pages 252-260 of Communicate!,
“Effective Public Speaking”.
Pages 252-260 of Communicate! provide
guidelines and tips to help you prepare and
deliver a speech. You should study these pages
carefully and make notes as you go. The block
of information on page 253 (“Audience/How
to Say It”) points out that how you write and
deliver your speech will depend on who your
audience is. The block of information on page
254 (“Purpose/What to Say”) points out that
what you say in your public speaking role will
depend on your purpose for speaking. You
should study this information carefully and
discuss it with your instructor before beginning
to develop your speech.
2. Study the sample speech on page 256 of
Communicate! and answer the following
questions:
2.1 How does the author grab the audience’s
attention?
2.2 Why do you think the author uses a fable
in her speech?
2.3 Find at least two instances where the
author uses repetition of words, phrases or
sentences to emphasize her point?
2.4 Why do you think the author uses dialogue
in her speech?
2.5 Find an example of strong visual imagery.
2.6 Find at least one example of a strong
summarizing sentence.
Your instructor may provide you with a study
sheet containing these questions.
English 1101C
Page 256 provides a sample of a high school
graduation speech. It shows you one way that
you can get your audience’s attention and
make a point in a way that they will understand
and remember. It demonstrates that you can
have an impact with a fairly short speech, if
you think about what you want to say and plan
your speech well.
Questions 2.1 to 2.6 require you to analyze the
sample speech in detail and recognize the
techniques that the speaker uses to engage the
audience and get her point across. You may
decide to use similar techniques when you
write your own speech. You should remember
that what you say and how you say it will
depend on your purpose for speaking and your
audience.
Study Guide
Page 29
Unit 3 Oral Communications and Related Writing
Required W ork
Guidelines and Suggestions
Learning About Public Speaking (continued)
3. Read the instructional essay, “Speaking in
Public” by Lucy Valentino (Pages 393-395,
Between the Lines 11).
The essay on speaking in public provides
several very important tips to help you deliver
an effective speech and overcome some of
your nervousness. You should read the essay
carefully.
When you are thinking about preparing and
making a speech, you should remember that
everybody who has to speak in public feels
some nervousness about it. Experienced
speakers have developed ways to minimize
their fear of speaking. They make sure that
they have their speech well thought out
beforehand. They also have notes or cards to
remind them of what they intend to say. Most
people practice their speech and time
themselves to make sure that they don’t have
too little or too much information for the time
available.
You may find that, if you use presentation
aids, it takes some of the pressure out of public
speaking as both you and your audience focus
on that. Some presentation aids you might use
could include photographs, charts, slides, and
overhead transparencies.
If you choose to use presentation aids, you
should make sure that you practice using the
presentation aid and that you feel comfortable
with it. If you were using electronic aids
(slides, overhead transparencies, etc.) you
would have to set it up ahead of your speech
and check that everything is working.
Page 30
Study Guide
English 1101C
Unit 3 Oral Communications and Related Writing
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Delivering a Speech
4. Develop a two-minute speech on a subject
of your choice and deliver it to a small group
organized by the instructor.
Your speech should be about something that
you are interested in and that you already know
something about. This will ensure that you are
comfortable with the material.
or
Deliver an oral presentation of the research
report prepared in Unit 2 of English 1101C,
using presentation aids as appropriate.
Here are some possible topics you may choose
to speak about:
•My Community
•The Challenges (or Pleasures) of Being a
Parent
•Why I Am Upgrading My Education
•Why I Hate (or Love) Cell Phones
As you develop your speech, you should
practice reading it aloud and timing yourself.
You may record your speech and listen to it.
You may practice in front of a mirror or have a
family member or friend be your practice
audience.
If you choose to deliver an oral presentation of
the research paper prepared for Unit 2 of this
course, you may need to decide which parts of
it can be presented within the two-minute time
period allowed for your presentation. If you
use presentation aids, this may allow you to
present more information in a shorter amount
of time. Your instructor will be able to give
you guidance on tailoring your research report
for oral presentation.
English 1101C
Study Guide
Page 31
Unit 3 Oral Communications and Related Writing
Required W ork
Guidelines and Suggestions
Learning About Effective Listening
5. Study pages 261-265 of Communicate!,
“Effective Listening”.
Many people think that there is no difference
between hearing and listening. As you will
learn from the reading material on listening in
Communicate!, we do often hear without
actually listening and without paying attention
to what we are hearing.
As a student, you will need to understand that
effective listening is a deliberate activity and
may involve as much work as speaking. It
means that you are not only hearing what a
speaker is saying but are thinking about it,
making judgements about the importance of
particular points, deciding which things you
need to remember and whether you need to
write some things down to ensure that you
remember them. Unless what you are listening
to is recorded, you won’t have the opportunity
to hear it again. Your careful listening and
note-taking provide the only way for you to go
back over the information presented.
Listening and Note-Taking
6. Complete listening and note-taking practice
exercises.
7. Take notes on a listening activity organized
by your instructor. Your notes should be
suitable to use for study purposes.
Much of your learning as a student in Adult
Basic Education and in your post-secondary
studies will involve listening. This will
include listening to lectures, lab instructions,
guest speakers, fellow students, recorded
presentations (tapes and videos), and group
discussions. To make the most of your
learning, you will have to become skillful at
note-taking in listening situations. Page 265 of
Communicate! provides very useful guidelines
for effective note taking.
Your instructor will provide listening and
note-taking exercises for Required Work 6
and 7.
Page 32
Study Guide
English 1101C
Unit 3 Oral Communications and Related Writing
Guidelines and Suggestion
Required W ork
Learning About Communicating in Groups
8. Study pages 266-275 of Communicate!,
“Effective Group Work”.
Pages 266-270 provide information and
guidance on how to work effectively in groups.
You will learn about the roles performed by
the two most important positions in a formal
group or meeting - the chairperson and the
secretary. You will also learn about group
dynamics and how groups can work to
generate ideas and solutions to problems.
Pages 271-275 provide information on the
different types of groups that may be formed to
do the following:
•to achieve a task and/or solve a problem
•to explore ideas
•to argue viewpoints
As a member of the workforce, as a parent, or
as a citizen, you may have been involved in
one or more of the types of groups described
here. As a student, you may also be involved
in formalized group work.
English 1101C
Study Guide
Page 33
Unit 3 Oral Communications and Related Writing
Guidelines and Suggestions
Required W ork
Learning About Communicating in Groups
(Continued)
9. Based on the reading you completed for
Required Work 8, answer the following
questions:
9.1 Explain the roles of the chairperson and
the secretary in relation to a formal meeting.
The material you have studied in
Communicate! (Pages 266-275) will give you
the information you need to complete the
assigned questions 9.1 - 9.7. You may also
add additional information from other sources,
including your own experience.
Your answers should be written in short essay
style.
9.2 Define “brainstorming” and explain the
process.
You should make sure that you have answered
each question and that there are no mistakes in
grammar, punctuation or spelling.
9.3 Define “consensus” and explain how it
might be achieved.
9.4 Define “committee” and give at least two
reasons why a committee might be formed.
9.5 Define “formal meeting” and list the seven
steps in a typical formal meeting.
9.6 Define “motion” in relation to a formal
meeting and explain how to make a motion.
9.7 Define “informal debate” and explain the
five stages involved in an informal debate.
Page 34
Study Guide
English 1101C
Unit 3 Oral Communications and Related Writing
Required W ork
Communicating in Groups
10. Participate in brainstorming exercises
organized by your instructor.
11. Participate in formal meetings and/or
informal debates, as assigned by your
instructor.
Guidelines and Suggestions
Review the section on brainstorming in your
study material for this Unit (Page 267 of
Communicate!). Your instructor will organize
a group of students for this exercise and may
also suggest a topic. Alternately, the
brainstorming topic may be suggested by the
group. The Checklist on page 267 may be
useful in the brainstorming exercises.
Your instructor will organize opportunities for
you to practice participating in formal
meetings and informal debates.
Pages 271-272 of Communicate! provide
importance guidelines for participating in
formal meetings. The steps for conducting a
meeting are listed and the process for
presenting a motion is described. There is also
a Checklist for both listening and speaking at a
formal meeting.
Pages 274-275 of Communicate! provide a
five-stage plan for an informal classroom
debate. This plan may be useful in planning
and conducting your own debates.
Your instructor will need to organize
participants and audience for the debate and to
specify which side of the debate participants
take. The topic, or resolution, will also need
to be chosen and the question period and
voting will need to be organized. You may be
involved in the debate as a participant or a
member of the audience.
English 1101C
Study Guide
Page 35
Unit 3 Oral Communications and Related Writing
Required W ork
Guidelines and Suggestions
Learning About the Employment Interview
12. Study pages 205-208 of Communicate!,
“The Job Interview”.
Pages 205-208 of Communicate! provide very
useful information and tips on answering
questions in a job interview as well as asking
good questions. Page 206 lists some typical
questions which might be asked of you in a job
interview and gives some suggestions for
answers to those questions. You should study
the questions and suggested responses
carefully in terms of what your own answers to
those questions might be. You may wish to
make some notes on your own qualifications
and experience to prepare you for a job
interview.
13. Read “Preparing for an Interview” (Pages
358-359, Between the Lines 11).
The Self-Help Information, “Preparing for an
Interview”, provides a number of practical tips
on making the most of an interview
opportunity when you are looking for work.
13.1 Answer question 1 on page 359.
The information provided in both
Communicate! and Between the Lines will be
useful to you when you have finished your
studies and are seeking employment. You
should make photocopies of the material
and/or make detailed notes so that you are able
to take the information with you.
Participating in an Employment Interview
14. Participate in a mock job interview
arranged by your instructor.
Page 36
This information will also guide you as you
participate in the mock job interview
organized by your instructor. The mock
interview may be conducted by your instructor,
assuming the role of potential employer, or it
may be conducted by someone from outside
the ABE program assuming that role.
Study Guide
English 1101C